RENEGADE WRITERS' GROUP: 17TH NOVEMBER

Bit of a surprise at the group yesterday to find Sandy Auden there. I first met Sandy - who's a freelance journalist - at WHC in Brighton when she was stricken with laryngitis and we've kept nearly-bumping-into each other since. She did an e-interview with me for SFX which she told me last night will be in this month's issue. Good news! She read a review she'd written about 'The Fall' by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. Sandy obviously liked the book but I don't know if I'll read it...I'm not too keen on vampire stuff. Great to meet Sandy again, tho'.

Peter read a new piece of his which I think will be entitled 'The Room of Ambiguity' - maybe that should be 'Room for Ambiguity', Peter, it's more, 'er, ambiguous - which involved several rather surreal happenings, including a talking tap. Very interesting but I think the tap should have a more sinister aspect...less drippy, perhaps?

Shaun read  the opening prologue of his new book but I don't think I can say too much about it as Shaun seems very keen to keep the plot sotto voce. An intriguing opening nevertheless but a May deadline sounds very daunting.

Tim brought a piece he'd written about war graves and the fallen of the First World War called 'The Last Shot' which sounds rather dour but has real potential. Tim has a talent for communicating languid despair. I think all he has to do now is choose which story he's going to run with (this or the sex-o-drama) and concentrate all efforts towards finishing it.

Peter C told me that they'll be using my short 'To Infer is Human' in the Christmas edition of Dark Stacks which is good news.

All-in-all a good night.